Next Window Neighbour
by Hazaazel
Summary: Natsu and his cat live in peace until the new neighbour arrives. The very cute new neighbour. Written for the Gratsu day.


Gratsu day was on July, 29th, so I wrote a little something. Several prompts are used for this, so I'll just list them :

"My cat steals underwear"  
"You just saw me walk into my kitchen naked."  
"We are full grown adults fighting over this last balloon that's shaped like a cats head."  
"We live in adjacent apartments and the walls are really thin, so I hear you sing in the shower at 6:30 and you're actually really good and I stand next to the wall and sing the next lyric just to see what would happen"

I hope you enjoy !

* * *

"Happy ! Happy ! Oh my god what a monster."

My cat is not really a monster. It does steal underwear, though, which is enough of a bother to make me run halfway through the hall with only pants on, to retrieve said monster to get the underwear back on the clothesline where it belongs. And hope I won't get caught. This neighbour is new and I really don't want their first impression of me to be this bad, especially since I'm known to be noisy early in the morning and a quick kitchenware burner.

I thankfully manage to capture the beast back in time to get to the window, with the boxers in my hand. I don't get there in time, however, to put the underwear safely on its line before I can be seen – the new neighbour is there before me and watches with squinted eyes as I fumble with the window, fumble with the clothes peg, fumble with the underwear and finally raise my head enough to say "hello".

"...hi."

His answer is cold, to say the least. I can understand. He doesn't looked very moved by my cat story, though, only arching an eyebrow when I go and fetch the atrocity responsible for this embarrassing situation. Maybe it's his fault. Happy is not the best name for a cat, I assume, but Lucy picked it and now it's settled. Also, his fur looks blue.

The conversation is short but it's not something I'll complain about. Damn, the new neighbour is cute. Really a shame I first met him in my pants, and now he thinks I tried to steal his underwear. Not like I get lucky with dates, anyway, Lucy swears the only one as bad as me is Erza, and that's saying something. Well, it won't get me down. I'll drink a few beers and try to get into Gajeel's pants again.

oOo

Can someone please explain the neighbour to me ? I wouldn't have noticed if the boxer had gone missing, although maybe that's just me, but... Blaming it on the cat ? Running in the corridors half naked to get it back ? Who exactly is this guy ?

Well... I can tell he's hot. Very. And by "hot" I mean actual heat, I could have burned my hand on his when he decided leaning in almost to the point of falling off the window to give me a handshake was appropriate. There is also the fact that he was, indeed, half naked. Ok, he is hot in the "hell I'd bang that guy" sort of way. Might not be interested in men, but he has a nice ab game going on and pink hair. That's worth a shot, right ? Right ?

Right. And... I should have believed the cat story. The beast – it's blue, blue ! – the beast is now delicately picking up the very same boxer, chewing on it a little (it's going in the washing machine as soon as I get it back) and goddam I swear it smirks at me before jumping away, hiding behind an uncomfortable looking couch.

"Hey..? Hey ! You !"

I don't know his name. I look stupid.

"Hum... Guy with a cat ? Next window neighbour ?"

Maybe he's not even home.

"Please ? Happy's master ?"

"Ha ha, he'd hate to be called that way, he's mostly running wild. What did the monster do ?"

Thank god, he's here.

"Steal my underwear. I admit I didn't believe you, two days ago, but it really does."

"Have to wait until yous see it, yeah..."

He looks quite uneasy. I wonder why, is he shy ? He didn't seem shy last time we talked...

"Hum... What's your name ?"

"Gray. Gray Fullbuster."

"Well, Gray Fullbuster. You don't... ehm, you don't have clothes on."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

I don't really care, but again, I guess that's just me. He doesn't look that bothered, but he looks embarrassed. It's a good thing, if it means I got a chance...

I can't ask him to come over and give me the underwear back right now, can I ?

"I'll... I'll just go chase Happy and throw your underwear back through your window. Or I can wash it before, if you want, he probably started slobbering on it."

"Don't worry about that, I'll just re wash it. I'll leave the window open and... and put some clothes on."

No, no I can't.

oOo

What the hell _he was naked ABORT MISSION_. Happy what have you done. Thankfully, I was wearing more clothing than him and could hide any sign of arousal but wow. He is cute, more than cute actually, that's confirmed. He also might be an exhibitionist, considering the fact he didn't mind at all that the whole street only had to raise their head to see it all. I now have to ring his doorbell frantically because I'm late for work and he might also be a douchebag.

"Wha- oh, it's you. Oh god I'm sorry I completely forgot, I closed the window, didn't I ?"

You don't say.

"It's alright, just – take this, I gotta run, if I'm late again Erza is going to swallow my doughnut in front of me and make me pay for it anyway."

"They sound scary."

"She is, she truly is. Nice use of neutral pronoun, by the way."

"Weird names have their rules... What's yours, by the way ?"

"Natsu."

"Summer, eh ? Well, no wonder you're flaming hot then."

I don't recall answering, which is a shame, another occasion I'll look stupid in front of him, but my forehead and my feet remember very well their multiple encounters with various parts of the sidewalk as I distractedly reached my workplace. And Erza's fist when I was late again, and Lucy's when I told her why.

oOo

Hum... I wonder if Wendy will like this balloon. It's shaped like a cat's head, has a nice little bow with a pretty pearl. It's also her birthday tomorrow and I still don't have any present, so I better hurry, and this can do very well. She's only Lyon's little cousin after all, not mine, it's not like I have to buy her a pony or a basketball or whatever little girls ask for these days. The plan is perfect, until I hear a voice speaking behind me.

"Hello ! Can I buy the cat-shaped balloon ?"

"Sure, let me get it."

Like hell you will ! No way someone is going to steal this present from me !

"Wait please ! I was considering buying it for a birthday and..."

As I turn around, I realise in a matter of seconds I have already lost the battle. The one asking for the balloon is none other than Hot Neighbour, and I know I don't stand a chance when his eyes turn to me, surprise making them wide beyond what is socially (and biologically) acceptable. I won't admit defeat without fighting at least a little, though.

"I... I asked for it first, that's rule number 1, so I get it, no questions asked."

Or I will, since he has apparently no will whatsoever to leave without it. Looking ridiculously proud of himself.

"Happy is going to hate it, it looks just like the idiot cat he never manages to catch !"

I just saw my perfect gift being snatched away for a _cat_.

My phone beeps angrily, a text from Lyon warning me not to come unless I have a decent present to bring to Wendy – wouldn't want to embarrass him in front of her, would I. _Would I_.

oOo

I have thrown the cat-shaped balloon on the bed as soon as I got home, and as expected, Happy is furiously shredding it into tiny pieces of plastic I now have to make sure he won't swallow. I feel kind of bad for the neighbour but it was a dare – Lucy will have her picture of Happy's sulky face, his claws tearing at the pink bow.

Happy, which is now presenting me with a set of underwear that isn't my own.

I will end this cat. Later. When I give Gray his boxers back. They are all dark blue, like his hair, and most of his clothes actually, when he is wearing some. Since he started living next door two weeks ago, I have seen him in various stages of nakedness, and he never seems to mind, cheerfully waving or saying hello or some equally relaxed thing while I stutter and panic and leave the room as fast as possible.

"Gray ? Happy stole your boxers again."

"Did he chew on them this time ?"

"No, they're clean, it's alright."

"Kay, gimme one."

"You can have them all, you know, I'm not planning on selling your underwear on the black market."

"No, I need one 'cause I'm naked again."

"...right. Here you go."

I do my best not to look, and it makes him smirk.

"You know, since I'm here naked of my own accord, you could at least shoot me a glance, pretend you're interested."

"It's not... it's not polite !"

"Are you, for real, trying to tell me that the same guy who threw his cat at an old man because he insulted his scarf, who stole a plant the other day to shove it in a letterbox, who almost set fire to the front door when he tried to blow someone's cigarette out, is now too polite to look at me when I've obviously been trying to flirt for the past fifteen days ?"

"Shoving your naked body in front of my eyes for two weeks is the idea you have of flirting ?! No wonder I didn't have a clue !"

"How big of a clue do you want, a poster with 'Hey, wanna snog ?' written all over it ?!"

"Calm down Princess, it's not because you've been trying to play it smart that you can shove it in my face now."

"Well, if your flame brain was developed enough to understand human behaviour..."

"...that's it, get down in the courtyard."

"What ?"

"You wanna fight ? You'll get a fight."

He is not doing what I think he's started, it can't be.

He's in the courtyard faster than I thought possible, angrily looking up and shoving his fist in my direction, roaring for me to come down and fight already. So childish, I swear.

"I'm here, Flame Brain, what is this about."

He just awkwardly shuffles in front of me, and it seems to take every ounce of courage he has for him to lean in and press his lips on mine. Almost shy, but I don't think I'm doing any better.

We kiss for several minutes, until he pushes me away, breathless.

"Maybe we should go back inside."

"Hm. My house."

"As you wish, Ice Princess."

"Ice ?"

"You're so cold it's a wonder I don't have the flu already."

"Well, dragon boy, let's put our body heat to good use, shall we ?"

He blushes as pink as his hair, and takes my hand to lead me back to my living room.

oOo

This is happening this is happening _I'm even going into his house and we're going to cuddle_ – I know I'm grabbing his hand like a toddler but I can't hide my excitement. I've been waiting for three weeks to do this, I can enjoy it while it lasts !

"Slow down, slow down ! The house's not burning, Flame Brain."

"I am ?"

It makes him laugh, and as soon as he closes the door behind him, he kisses my face, my cheeks, my nose, my chin, my lips, my neck... Small breaths escape my throat, faster and faster, and I tug at his hair to get his mouth away from me long enough to stop the room from spinning around.

"Hey hey, your turn to slow down, I'm going dizzy."

"You... you're not used to this. It's ok, I'll just..."

He'll just plop us down on his couch – aah, just as I thought from my side of the window, it's so comfy – and buries his hands in my hair.

"I'm all yours, Flame Brain."

I can do this. Easy. I can nibble on his ear without making it bleed with what Lucy calls my "shark teeth". I can totally manage to make him breathless.

"Alright, Jaws, leave my skin alone !"

Is it this obvious that I am not used to this ? It is. Gajeel has a skin of steel, it never bothered him how hard I could bite, and he has been my only companion for the past few years.

"It's kind of endearing, though, you're all fired up."

We lay like this for a while, kissing and tugging at hair and breathing fast and sometimes even moaning a little. I fall asleep along the way, his hands caressing my cheek and his lips against my ears, murmuring soft words I cannot understand.

It sounds like "I like you", though.

oOo

" _Don't go breaking my heart_

 _I couldn't if I tried !_

 _Oh honey, if I get restless..._

 _Baby you're not the kind !_ "

It's 6:30am, is this guy for real ? I guess I should be used to it by now, since it happens every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, but Natsu's early shift really gets on my nerves. Thin walls get on my nerves. It's the first time I've heard him sing, though, and the love duet isn't what I'd expected him to start declaiming in the shower.

" _Don't go breaking my heart_

 _You take the weight off of me_

 _Oh honey when you knock on my door..._ "

" _Oh, I gave you my key_ "

There is a pause, on the other side of the bathroom wall. A long pause, as if he were trying to make sure the one completing the lyrics wasn't the mirror or something.

" _Oh-ho, nobody knows it_

 _But when I was down..._ "

" _I was your clown !_ "

He giggles a bit, and I can hear him mutter "freaking Ice Princess, of course he'd sing with me" before we go on and finish the song.

Our first date was yesterday, it was really sweet. Natsu brought me to this restaurant he knows and made me try his favourite dish, and I took him to the park to make snowmen while the thin sheet of snow lasted.

" _Oh-ho, nobody knows it, nobody kno-ows_

 _But right from the start_

 _I gave you my heart_

 _Oh-ho, I gave you my heart"_


End file.
